


Puppy Dog Eyes

by Baekhanded



Series: Soriku Ficlets [3]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Cats, Cute, Dogs, Fluff, Gen, Lizards, M/M, Pet, Pets, Stray, animal re-homer extraordinaire, can you tell where I got the pet's names from?, it makes her sexier and more intimidating, kairi and others are mentioned!, larxene one hundo percent wears her snake as a fashion statement, soft, strays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-18 14:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18701275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baekhanded/pseuds/Baekhanded
Summary: Sora and Riku come to an agreement. Sora can have all the strays he wants. If he finds the previous ones good homes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Space_Kry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Space_Kry/gifts).



> Huge!!!!!! Shout out to Kry!!! MY GIRL for dealing with my nonsense and jumping into Kingdom hearts and Soriku head first and making this dumb "Ok but what if.." idea into an actual reality.
> 
> You can't look at me and tell me that sora isn't a habitual stray saver and you cant tell me Riku isn't so in love with that boy he lets it happen.

There was one thing to be said when Sora gave puppy dog eyes.

 

No one stood a chance.

 

Everyone who knew him learned it the hard way, but Riku most of all. He was also the one that tried the hardest to stand strong against the force those eyes brought.

 

To no avail.

 

It didn’t stop him from trying though, every opportunity he held fast, until the dam broke.

 

It was exactly why he was sitting on their couch with a dog passed out across his lap and two cats on a shoulder each, dozing and kneading to their heart’s content.

 

He’s pretty sure Sora somehow snuck in birds and snakes, but he can’t be completely certain of that.

 

He knew a long time ago that Sora was the type to help every living creature. There were many times they both stared their parents in the eye, stray animals between them and the fierce determination of children that they _would_ take care of these animals until their owners showed up.

 

He’s pretty sure a lot of those animals ended up at the pound instead of their owners arms. Riku can’t really fault their parents, now that he’s in their situation. He’s just much less prepared to battle Sora’s eyes.

 

Instant K.O.

 

He’s pretty sure if they didn’t have so much land there would still be the same amount of animals in a much smaller space. Just the thought causes a shudder to race through him- displacing the cats with an angry little sound Riku can’t really describe.

 

“Riku! I’m home!” speak of the devil.

 

He runs his hand over the lazy dog’s neck before gently moving him to the side to greet his bright, bubbly boyfriend.

 

He stops in his tracks the moment he sees him.

 

“No.”

 

Sora’s face falls, “But-!”

 

“No. Sora. Really?” He sighs, determined to not lose again the moment he sees Sora’s eyes get infinitesimally bigger, brighter.

 

“I couldn’t just leave her outside! It’s gonna rain!”

 

It was most definitely _not_ going to rain, but he could physically feel his resolve breaking as he looked into Sora’s pleading blue eyes.

 

They stare at each other in silence, for a long minute. The wiggly pup still in Sora’s arms not hindering his emotional warfare at all.

 

Riku sighs. Sora grins. He thinks he’s won.

 

“I’ll make you a deal.”

 

His grin falters. He readjusts the pup, “What is it?”

 

“Get rid of some of them, and we can have a revolving door of strays. But _you_ have to find them loving homes.”

 

He perks up, “We-!”

 

“That’s _not with us.”_ he cuts him off, and Sora pouts.

 

“Okay, fine. Deal!” He holds out a hand. Riku shakes it.

 

Finally. He’s won.

 

\---

 

It’s a victory but at what cost?

 

They have ten animals. Four dogs, three cats, a bird, a ferret and a rabbit.

 

The first dog was easy to re-home. Sora called Roxas and it took no time at all for him to show up to pick up a dog. It went even better than expected, because Roxas brought Axel. Two dogs left that day, the two biggest and silliest dogs.

 

Kairi came of her own accord, bringing Naminė with her. They took home the bird and a cat.

 

Demyx took a dog. Zexion took a cat. Vanitas didn’t even let them think of putting the rabbit with anyone but him, and he took the ferret just to see what Marluxia would do when he showed him.

 

Though brash, Riku knew those two would be very spoiled and very loved, so long as Flood took a liking to them.

 

It was easier for Sora to see the pets go to his friends and family, knowing full well he would get to see them again and play with them again whenever he wanted. It was something else entirely when it was someone they didn’t know.

 

The last cat and dog went to people Sora and Riku didn’t personally know, but they knew they would be good owners. It didn’t stop Sora from fighting back tears the moment they were gone.

 

Riku had counted it a victory until he saw Sora’s tears.

 

The house is very quiet with no animals around. Riku can’t even pretend to be mad when Sora shows up later that week with a box full of puppies. His eyes are brighter now than they have been since the last dog left.

 

\---

 

It’s eight puppies, near-newborn and unvaccinated. It’s at the vet that Sora finds another way to help animals.

 

“Oh! Sora!” It’s Aqua, returning from the back.

 

Sora smiles bright and Riku gives her a hug.

 

“More puppies huh?” She asks as she checks over each little furry bundle in the box, “I actually had wanted to ask you both a question.”

 

Sora’s head tilts, Riku gets suspicious.

 

“What is it?” Sora asks while she prepares each pup for its shots.

 

“It’s not usually a problem, but lately people have been leaving their pets here. Or they bring in completely healthy animals and ask us to put them down because they can’t take care of them anymore,” She starts, meeting each of their eyes before continuing, “usually we would drop them off at the pound, or take them in ourselves. But there’s just too many for that and I know if we give any more to the pound they _will_ be put to sleep. I know you two are in the market of re-homing pets, so I thought maybe I would ask and see if you were interested.”

 

Riku doesn’t even need to look at Sora to know his heart is completely broken. And that he’s looking at Riku with hope in those big, puppy dog eyes.

 

“How many are you guys stuck with?” He asks, knowing he has to be practical.

 

Aqua hums, thoughtful. She takes a minute to answer, finishing up the shots before looking back at the boys, “A cat and two lizards right now. But I have a feeling it will be more. I don’t know if you guys are supplied to take care of livestock animals but Terra’s been talking about some farm that doesn’t have a place for its horses or sheep.”

 

“We have a lot of space,” Sora buts in, “but we’d definitely need some help with supplies and getting things….appropriate? For those kind of animals.”

 

“We can take the cat and lizards for now,” Riku wraps an arm around Sora, feeling his energy radiating into his side pure happiness, “we might know some people that can help with the livestock situation. Don’t do anything with them yet.”

 

Aqua smiles, as if she already knew this was what their answer would be. She probably did. Sora had a heart big enough for a hundred worlds worth of life and Riku’s heart was full for Sora.

 

With eight puppies, a cat and two lizards in tow they made their way back home.

 

\---

 

The cat had had a surgery, her belly was shaved and she had some stitches in. She absolutely _loved_ Sora and he loved her just the same. Her eyes were gold and her fur was grey and beige cream. Sora carried her in a pouch everywhere he went.

 

Riku had to stifle laughter every time Sora answered his phone. One hand on the cats head on his belly and the other to his ear. His serious expression at odds with his bright yellow kangaroo sweater.

 

He turns to Riku with the brightest eyes, “Got a home for the lizards!”

 

Riku raises a brow, “Weren’t you talking to your cousin?”

 

Sora nods sagely and digs in his pouch pocket and lifts the cat, “Vani says Larxene loves reptiles! He’s talked to her about ...well he talked at her about how she better not even think about feeding Flood, Dusk and Scrapper to her snake Creeper.”  
  
“That’s not how he said it at all, is it.” his mouth quirked, amused.

 

Sora threw himself down next to him, then draped himself dramatically across Riku’s legs, “Not even _close.”_

 

\---

 

Larxene was every bit a whirlwind as they expected she would be. Brash and rude but they knew that she would love those little lizards with her whole being.

 

“Need help placin’ those dogs? You’ve got a lot of them and I know some people.” She offers.

 

“If they’re good people like you.”

 

“And will love them!”

 

Larxene scoffs,”I’ll give ‘em your number.”

 

She doesn’t stick around after that. Sora’s beaming. Riku thinks he’s getting used to making the little animals happy.

 

He didn’t even tear up when they gave out the puppies. Riku thinks a big part of it had to do that a lot of them went to the same house, but they all stayed in the same family. Larxene made good on her word. She knew a big family that were in the market for a lot of dogs.

 

They even insisted on paying them.

 

Sora stared at the mass amounts of munny in his hands long after they left. The cat pawed at his hands.

 

Riku has a feeling that cat is their cat now.

 

\---

 

He was right.

 

Rice cake is their cat, and he couldn’t be happier. Saving animals, getting them happy homes. Living with his Sora and their permanent resident.


	2. Squitten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sora comes home with a new bundle and a broken heart

It had become a business of sorts. Re-homing stray animals. 

 

They had made quite a few new friends in the process, and their family and their families others were more than willing to help spread their word. Marluxia’s sister had happily taken Aqua’s homeless horse and sheep.

 

One of Roxas’ friends had happily taken a few ducks in and Axel had another friend that took in a few reptiles they got, along with another that loved dogs. Sora found a lot of dogs, so it was good to know so many people that liked them as well.

 

Naminė and Kairi had gotten first dibs on the next rabbit they found, and last Riku heard they were setting up playdates with Flood and Scrapper. As far as ferrets went, Dusk was pretty relaxed and liked to be high off the ground.

 

Cats were a little harder, because it was a fine line of connection and abandonment. They had quite a few scars from traumatized cats.

 

Rice cake helped them more than they had thought. She soothed the especially angry, distrustful animals and happily took in the babies that didn’t know where their mom went.

 

They had been doing surprisingly well keeping as few as they could. They only kept one cat and one dog. Rice cake the cat, and ironically Popcat the dog.

 

That was until Sora came home, almost in tears holding a small pale bundle in his arms.

 

“Sora? What’s wrong, what happened?” Riku was immediately on alert, checking his boy over before turning his attention to what is undeniably another cat in his arms.

 

Sora sniffles, his blue eyes so much bluer when on the verge of tears, “I found him on the way home...a bunch of kids were hurting him. I got them out of there and took him to Aqua. He’s ok but...Riku no one’s gonna wanna take care of him.”

 

Riku carefully gathered Sora and the cat into his arms, resting his chin on Sora’s spiky little head. Relief rushed through him.

 

“Why wouldn’t they want to take care of him?” He asked, his voice soft.

 

Sora sniffled again, “He’s gonna be a lot of work...has this thing where his little legs are weird. Aqua said he might need physical therapy when he gets older and I...people that get pets with medical problems almost always tend to toss them out when they get too much. Or take them to the vet to put them down.”

 

“What makes you say that?”

 

“They’re facts Riku! Even Aqua said as much. People….sometimes aren’t good…” Riku knew it pained him to admit as much. Sora was always trying to see the good in all people, but Riku knew that sometimes, people just didn’t have it in them.

 

“Then we’ll take care of him.” He says, voice still soft.

 

Sora jerks, stepping back to look up at him.

 

“Really?” His voice is harsh, almost a whisper. Almost like he can’t believe it.

 

Riku laughs, quiet and  fond. He kisses Sora’s forehead, “Of course, but don’t name it something ridiculous.

 

A tear drips from Sora’s eye as a grin brightens his face, “I would never!”

 

Rice cake loves her new brother, Macaron.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're in the LA area and have the means, please check this site out, this is actually a real thing and so many cats out there need love and good stable homes. Please spread the word and if you have the means consider getting a special needs cat  
> https://www.petfinder.com/cat/thumper-and-flower-star-bonded-and-special-needs-star-44153973/ca/los-angeles/friends-for-life-rescue-network-ca2391/

**Author's Note:**

> this is 100% Rice Cake
> 
> https://dl5zpyw5k3jeb.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/44153973/2/?bust=1551739028&width=720


End file.
